Archive for January, 2010

My granddaughter Maia was here yesterday for brunch. She has always been a finicky eater but has now graduated from finicky to down right stubborn! Her new thing is turning her head away, smiling sweetly, taking her food and feeding the dog. This is followed by a very loud, lovely laugh. Unfortunately we sometimes need to trick our toddler into eating.

We all know the old adage of tricking them into eating their veggies but in Maia’s case she needs to be tricked into eating everything! Here are a few tried and true tricks to get your toddler to eat:

1) The numbers game – line up all food ( a small amount at a time) and count down as each piece of vegetable, fruit, meat or any food is picked up and eaten.

2) Show your toddler 2 different foods and let him choose which one he would like to eat. Maybe just a taste at first if it is a new food.

3) Give your child his own plate, cutlery and cup. Make sure he knows that it is there only at meal time and will be taken away when the meal is over. This will become a special place setting, something to look forward to.

4) Play at the supermarket the “I spy” game. Let your child find the carrots and then put them in the cart all by himself. Then when preparing dinner, show and remind him that he got the carrots all by himself.

5)As your child gets older let him help prepare the food. Nothing ever tastes as good as self prepared meals!

6) If you want to get really creative have a picnic every now and then on the floor. Put down an old blanket, bring out the plastic plates and have fun eating!!!

7) Make faces out of food and then have your child eat the eyes, nose, mouth etc…..most of all have fun!

You baby is teething. Everything goes in the mouth to soothe those poor little gums. Any and everything goes into the mouth to try to soothe the discomfort. What to do?

First we need to realize that the urge to bite down on something is a natural way to help the gum tissue break down and help the teeth immerge.

What to look for in a teething product?

1) look for a teething toy that is sized so that your child will not swallow it. Teething toys that are too small can get lodged in the mouth or throat causing choking, blocked air passages and/or ingested.

2) If you are going the way of teething biscuits be aware that pieces of the biscuit break off and crumble. Chewing on teething biscuits should be under your supervision only.

3) If you choose a teething ring with liquid, look for consistency in the liquid. Check the package and see what kind of liquid is in the ring just incase it gets punctured and your child digests some of the liquid.

If you are putting it in the freezer to make it cold to soothe the gums be wary of freezer burn on the gums. Your childs gums are very sensitive so a good option is to put the teething ring in the refrigerator to get cold.

4)Teething toy are very important but the most important thing about the teething toy is that they are non toxic.

A cup of coffee, a bowl of homemade granola and the Rachel Ray show….hmmmm, one of my favorite things to do!

Today on the Rachel Ray show PTPA Media was featured! Sharon from PTPA ( parent tested parent approved) walked us through a few of the top recommended products. These products have all been tested by parents, just regular “folk” like you and me and guess what! The Kangaroo towel is one of the award winning products.

I admit it….I am 56 and proud of it. Very cliche I know, proud of my age, thankful for everyday that I am here and healthy, enjoying my family, friends and life in general…..but honestly, will I ever grow up?

Last week I was invited to help my niece and nephew move into their new home. A “moving party”. My husband and I went, happy to be included in the work and “fun”.

When we arrived we were introduced to the side of the family that we had never met…the “in-law” side. We were introduced to my nephews parents, ” so nice to meet you ” we said. We were introduced to his brother, ” finally, wonderful to meet you and your lovely family”.

Then we were introduced to his sister, my husband says ” nice to meet you, you look just like your brother!”. I say, ” when is the baby due?”…OMG did I really say that????? She looked at me with a blank stare, ” what do you mean?”

I smile and point to her ever so large belly. My nephew then says….”oh, she’s not pregnant, just a bit overweight”.

Sooooo, I repeat, will I ever grow up and learn to harness my mouth, think before I speak or just be down right polite?

Are you looking for a toddler robe that will wrap your little one in softness and warmth? Then look no further! Made of ultra soft microfibre with a soft terry cloth lining your toddler will never get cold after a bath, swimming or just lounging around.

This toddler robe is a hooded bath robe with 2 front pockets and a tie belt.

The Height Right High Chair from Keekaroo is a lovely wooden high chair that grows with your child. Buy the Height Right Wooden High Chair once, as the wooden seat and footplate are easily adjustable, and it grows with your child, from 6 months up to 250 pounds!

If your toddler can comfortably sit upright and balance him or herself, expect them to be ready for a Height Right Wooden High Chair. The seat offers proper seating and positioning. Correct setting for the feet, seat and body has been shown to increase a child’s ability to focus and attend to tasks greatly. The Height Right Wooden High Chair provides this benefit for ALL kids from toddlers to adults!

SUMMARY Bing the Bumblebee by Zoobie Pets is a unique patented plush toy that converts into a comfy pillow and also into a cuddly super-soft blanket. The blanket is folded inside the animal and attached by a zipper. Each Zoobie is a plush toy, a soft pillow and a comfy blanket all in one – the perfect childhood companion.

Zoobie Pets make for the ideal traveling companion for children, keeping kids entertained when they are awake and comfortable when they are asleep. Zoobie Pets were designed with parents in mind – they’re perfect for any travel excursion!

INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY RATINGS EASE OF USE Ease of Use?! Seriously!? It doesn’t get any easier than Zoobies! First off, our parents just had to hand this little bumblebee over to the little ones and let them go to town playing and laughing. Then – when they discovered the blanket – forget about it! The blanket was out and wrapping them up in no time at all.

Our Moms and Dads were happy to see how easily the blanket went back inside too! Easy? You bet! DURABILITY After our little ones game Bing the Bumblebee their best (or worst, depending on how you feel about food, snot and drool), our Moms were happy to report no worries here. All zippers and seams held up just fine – and all little spots wiped clean, or washed easily depending on the type of spot! No durability concerns!

VISUAL APPEAL This is one of those rare times that our parents were looking for a few more than five stars! The kids just loved Bing the Bumblebee. And when we let them in on the looks of some of the other Zoobies, they were quick to pick out a long list of favorites! Absolutely adorable.

FUNCTIONALITY Bing the Bumblebee is a stuffed animal, a blanket, a friend, a companion, and just the all around perfect item for children to cuddle with. This little guy has all you can ask for out of a stuffed animal – and a little more thanks to the blanket.

We dare you to take a look at this friends and not feel the same way. Bright fun designs with the blanket inside – that has the makings of a true original! OVERALL RATING Overall our parents, and more importantly their kids, just loved Bing the Bumblebee. He’s huggable, cuddleable and will keep you cozy warm in a pinch! This all original little guy is the perfect addition to a child’s travel essentials – and overall a fun item for them to play with! He’s made well and looks adorable! Your kids are sure to love Bing the Bumblebee (and the rest of the Zoobies for that matter) as much as ours did!